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CATCH AND RELEASE Consider the dilemma of the lazy bird watcher. He wants to see birds in his yard, especially the more colorful songbirds like Scarlet Tanagers and Indigo Buntings. In the last 20 years sightings of such neo-tropical species have become increasingly rare in New England. However, our birdwatcher really doesn't have the time or inclination to go on "safari" just in the hope of getting a glimpse of a certain bird species. He just wants to see them in his yard. Recently I read some alarming information; research scientists at Stanford University predict that because of continuing habitat destruction, 75% of all North American song bird species could be functionally extinct by the end of this century. They say the birds that have the best chance of surviving are all invasive, non-native species that have been introduced by man. Two of these species, house sparrows and starlings, are now considered the weeds of the bird world. Because they are not native to North America, they are not covered by the Migratory Song Bird Act or any other law that was enacted to protect birds. They are essentially the second class citizen's of the bird world. Ironically, they will probably survive long into the future after most of the native species have disappeared from this area. With these thoughts in mind, I dreamed up an experiment- what would happen if you caught sparrows and starlings, dyed them to look like the more colorful song birds and then released them back into your yard? Unfortunately, it seems these birds are rather aggressive, and once dyed to a new pattern, the captured bird would possibly no longer be recognizable to the rest of the flock. When released, these birds would probably be driven off or attacked by their peers. Randall Nelson January 26, 2008 |